BOULDER — Colorado coach Jon Embree is going to make his decision Thursday on what quarterback starts against Stanford, but it’ll be a game-time announcement. I caught up with junior Jordan Webb, battling for his starting job against sophomore Nick Hirschman, after practice Tuesday.

He nearly got yanked after committing four turnovers at USC but was saved merely because Embree didn’t want to start Hirschman in the snakepit that is Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. But Embree inserted Hirschman late in the first half Saturday during the Buffaloes’ 70-14 loss to the Ducks.

I asked Webb about his confidence.

“It’s the same as it’s always been,” he said. “I know I can play at this level. I’ve proven it many times, and I plan to have success again.”

Webb doesn’t have a lot of help. He has a true freshman tailback and possession receivers at wide-out. The leading receiver is a freshman. Colorado only has eight seniors, second fewest in the country.

“It’s hard having a bunch of young guys, but this point in the year no one’s really a freshman anymore,” Webb said. “We played enough games together that we’ve just got to be better.”

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.